Percy Jackson and the Inevitability of Life
by ItzRayz
Summary: After serving eight years as a Navy SEAL, Percy Jackson is forced to come back to the place he once called home. What exactly is home when there was never one to begin with? What would it take for someone like to realize that home isn't a place but an ideal that's shared with the people you love? AU
1. Now What?

I'm a big fan of the Percy Jackson series and I found myself searching through this site for great works. I found many and spent a lot of hours reading through each story. I am impressed by the sheer number of stories out there and then I got hit with this irritating plot bunny. The result came out to this story so let's take a trip and explore this together shall we?

Oh yeah, I am looking for a BETA to touch up on my chapters. I have several chapters waiting to be BETA'd, including this one as well. Please PM me if you are interested.

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_0900 Hours  
New York City  
Percy's POV_

Furious. I am furious! Of all the places they could've dropped me off, it had to be in the heart of New York City. This was the last place that I've ever imagined myself in.

Rome. London. South Africa. Japan. China. Jesus, there are docks all over the world and the chances of me docking in New York were slim to none so how in the world did I end up here?

This is a conspiracy I tell you. Percy Jackson versus the world. Yeah, that's my name. Percy Jackson, age 27 and I am currently a Navy SEAL but I can't tell you anymore than that. If you have the right clearance level, then you can read my files without the redacted lines but for everyone else, I'm afraid that all you'll find is my name. There's a reason why my files are classified but that's something I can't talk about here or there.

I'm afraid that I'm not like most guys who like to brag that they are part of the famous Navy SEALs. I'm just not that type of person. The things that I do happen for a reason and it's important that I don't talk about it. It also helps that I keep a low profile whenever I'm not on the ship. Less chances of me mentioning something that I'm not supposed to.

Ever heard of Area 51? Yeah, that was a guy who had too much to drink at a bar. The administration still never lets us live it down.

Being back here sucks. I'm not going to lie. Everything was just a haze during my meeting with my commanding officer. There were events that occurred outside my control and I didn't like that. Especially when they told me that my final destination was New York City, specifically, Manhattan.

Handed me a key to an apartment and kicked me off the ship.

My mind is still trying to unravel itself over the idea that I'm back home. Ugh home. That word was just an empty feeling to me since I was just another kid who grew up in the system. Always moving from one family to another. The worst part for me was that the families that I went to was always in Manhattan so I knew New York pretty well.

To some people, they consider New York City to be an amazing city, filled with excitement and endless possibilities. It's known as the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, the city of the future. It has so many names but to me, it will always be just another place that holds nothing but misery for me.

I'm not trying to be cynical here. I'm just stating the facts.

Earlier this morning, my Commanding Officer Chiron found out that I had months of unused vacation days. He immediately insisted that I use it to go back home and see the people that I left behind. I flat out told him I wasn't going and I would be staying on the ship. There was a reason why I never traveled back home but I wasn't going to tell him why. It was a personal reason and I intended to keep it that way.

We argued back and forth and while some saw it as insubordination, others say it was like an argument between father and son. To hell with them. How I argue with my superiors is my business.

In the end, he ordered me off the ship and made it clear to everyone that under no circumstances was I allowed back on the ship. I was to remain as a civilian for the next few months.

_I've known you for many years Percy, strong and dedicated like many before you but you still lack what they have. I had hope you would have found it by now but it looks like I was wrong. Use this time to discover yourself. Find out what it really means to be a SEAL before you come back._

My commander's words continued to echo through my mind. It's not that I didn't want to listen. It's just that he doesn't understand that I'm not dedicating my life to the SEALs. This _is_ my life. I haven't considered what life would have been like if I had decided back then not to enlist with the Navy back then. I shudder to think what would have happened.

"Excuse me. Sorry." Some random guy on the street said as he shoved me aside. I glared at his back. This was one of the reasons why I hated this city. Everyone was so busy doing their own thing that they tend to forget about the rest of the world. I know this happens in every city around the world but it's even more annoying when it's here in Manhattan.

With nothing but the clothes on my back and an address to some apartment, I took my time walking through the city, memories resurfacing with every step that I take. These were the very memories that I fought so hard to suppress.

"Damn you Chiron." I cursed as I was shoved again by another tourist. Third one this morning. "Where's your manners buddy!" I shouted.

"Sorry brah but you either in with the crowd or you better get out of our way but hey, welcome to Manhattan." This guy shouted back, laughing as he ran away. I growled. I'm going to remember this guy. Typical height, brown hair and blue eyes but what pisses me off was his attitude. The ideal of a typical New Yorker.

If it wasn't for the fact that I'm not suppose to get into any trouble, I would have chased after him and shoved him against the wall. During my time overseas, I've learned to treat everything with the utmost respect and I expected that from everyone as well.

But sadly, the world doesn't share my views.

I suddenly felt my phone vibrate which surprised me since the only people who had this number was my commander and I had a near zero visibility digital footprint, something that I was quite proud of.

"Hello?" I asked while trying to drown out the sound of the traffic.

"Uh is this Percy Jackson?" A feminine voice on the other end asked.

My paranoia kicked in and I was instantly on guard for whoever was on the other end of this phone call. My time in the SEALs taught me to take nothing for granted. Things happen for a reason and it would be foolish for me to ignore it. Pretending that this was just another social call, I walked up to a glass window and used the reflection to see if there was anyone suspicious following me.

After a few moments, I responded, replacing her question with one of my own. "Who is this? How did you get this number?"

"How did you even misdial Thalia? Ugh a monkey could have done this better than you -" I could hear another voice in the background followed by a loud thump. It would seem like they put me on speaker phone.

Better for me.

I was able determine that there are two people on this call, a female that I first spoke to, Thalia and an unknown male.

"Sorry for that. There was a minor annoyance. I'm looking for Percy Jackson. Are you him?"

I hesitated before answering. "I'm sorry but I'm not interested in whatever you're selling so I would appreciate it if you would never call this number again."

"Wait, what? Hold on for a minute. You think I'm trying to sell you something?" Surprise evident in her voice. "Well you listen to me buddy. I'm just looking for my cousin Percy Jackson so if you're not him, why don't you just shove whatever bullshit of an attitude you have and hope I don't rearrange that face of yours."

That's strange, did I just hear her say that she was looking for me? Her cousin? I didn't have any cousins, let alone anyone in my immediate family. My mother died when I was really young and my father abandoned us when I was just a baby so I didn't have anyone but myself growing up.

"... What did you say your name was again?"

"Thalia Grace and the idiot that you heard before was Nico Di Angelo. We're your cousins."

I repeated the names in my head and I couldn't put a face to the names. They didn't ring any bells in my head and I don't recall meeting anyone like that either. I shook my head, trying to get rid of the paranoia that was slowly creeping up behind me.

"Okay fine. Let's just say that hypothetically, I am this Percy Jackson but are you sure you got the right guy? I don't recall having any cousins so I'll ask you once more. Are you sure you got the right number?"

"Is your mother Sally Jackson?" She asked and I felt a hitch in my throat.

My mother, bless her kind heart, took care of me until her health failed. I did everything that I could to take care of her but it still wasn't enough. This was one topic that I did not like to bring up even after when she passed. It's still a sore spot for me.

I swallowed my emotions and replied. "Yes. Yes she was. What can I do for you? Thalia right?"

"Yes, I told you so Nico! Don't give me that look. I was right and you were wrong. Stop your whining. It's just a small bruise."

I could hear her yelling again and I cringed at the sheer volume of her voice. If she indeed telling me the truth, why would she be reaching out to me now? Why after all these years and not before? Did they know that I existed and didn't bother? There were so many questions but deep down inside, my brain was telling me not to go down that path. It usually ends with me getting burned.

"Okay what are you doing tonight Percy?" Thalia asked, interrupting my internal thoughts. "And don't say you're not in Manhattan because I know you're in Manhattan."

At this point, I looked around again, my eyes searching for any signs of a tail. There was no way she could have known I was there. "How did you know that?" I asked.

"I'm not telling." Thalia replied and I could see her sticking her tongue out at me. "Why don't you stop by the address that Nico is texting you now and we can finally meet our long lost cousin."

I really wanted to say no. I really did but as I thought about my options, my curiosity got the better of me. It's not like I was a stranger to this city but with no other plans other than to stay inside my rented apartment for the next few months, I reluctantly said yes to the strange girl over the phone.

Just as I said yes, I felt another vibrate on my phone, which was a text message from another number with an address on it.

"8 PM Sharp. Don't be late." The voice over the phone said menacingly. I snorted and hung up.

Welcome to New York City I guess.

_1945 hours  
Upper West Side _

Fast forward a few hours and here I am, standing outside a mahogany door. I managed to find this place with ease but it was the idea of whom these people are that bothered me. I didn't have the full force of the Navy behind me on this.

Before I came here, my paranoia got the best of me and I called several contacts to run background checks on one Thalia Grace and one Nico Di Angelo. Twenty minutes later and the reports were forwarded to my phone. After reading it three times due to my dyslexia, I still couldn't find any connection that links my mother and me to them.

That itself raised several flags in my head.

"Snap out of it Percy. These are civilians, not people that are out for your life. These people are strangers and they aren't out to get you." I mentally scolded myself for being so paranoid.

I raise my knuckle to knock on the door but before I could even knock, the door slowly opened and I saw nothing but pitch darkness from inside.

Instinct kicked in and I pushed myself against the wall. I used one hand to open the door a little bit further. Hearing nothing in the apartment, I shifted my weight and lowered my center of gravity, prepping myself for any kind of attack. I took about five steps in before I felt a hand on my shoulder and my martial arts training kicked in. Utilizing a judo throw, I sent the body over my shoulders and twisted his arm while my eyes scanned the room for any sudden movements.

"Ow ow shit!" The unknown voice yelled and the lights turned on. "Surprise...?" The guy weakly mumbled.

I quickly let go of the arm and looked around. There were several people standing there, looking shock and one of them looked amused. The room wasn't huge but for an apartment located in the Upper West Side, it was still pretty spacious. From a quick scan, I was able to see that it had a big kitchen and a living room and a hallway that led to several doors, bedrooms I assume.

There were several decorations on the wall and a big banner on the far wall that says 'Welcome home Percy!'. I mentally rolled my eyes at the sign but I gave it no attention.

"Percy?"

I nodded my head and released the hand. I recognized Thalia and Nico from their files but the rest I didn't know. Thalia was just standing there laughing at Nico who was on the floor moaning.

"Sorry." I muttered, a blush on my face. "I wasn't expecting this. Are you okay?"

Thalia walked up to me, giving me a big hug before smirking. "Percy, this is everyone." She turned me around and I saw everyone looking at me. I weakly waved and smiled. Did I also mention that I'm not a fan of meeting new people?

"Everyone, this is our long lost cousin Percy. Be nice to him."

I rolled my eyes and I stepped forward to greet her friends. After greeting everyone, I found myself quickly losing interest and looking for the door. Don't blame me; blame the restless Navy SEAL spirit that was inside my body. Either that or ADHD. I just can't stay in one place for anything.

To be honest, the people here weren't that bad. Thalia was a bit rough around the edges despite her goth looks while Nico looked like he was part of a punk rock band. Thalia also introduced me to her boyfriend Luke, who looked like a surfer but he kept giving me calculated looks. Almost if he was trying to determine if I was a threat or not. I respect that but if he keeps looking at me, I'll have to neutralize him.

Grover and his girlfriend Juniper looked like something out of an eco friendly magazine but they seemed cool enough. I did like Grover's Hawaiian shirt with the dancing pineapples. It was awesome. Always wanted to pick me up one of those when I was in Hawaii. He told me that the shirt was made out of recycle materials and urged me to feel it. At that point, I was grateful when Juniper pulled his hand away and started asking me about my life.

"Where's Annabeth?" I hear Thalia asking. "She missed the entire surprise."

"She's rushing over here now. Apparently her date with Travis was horrible and I quote 'spending time with Luke is better than this torture'." Juniper answered, looking up from her phone as she finished reading the text message.

"Hey. What does that even mean?!" Luke replied. "She's joking right? Come on, I'm not that bad!"

The group started laughing and I saw that as an excuse to take a walk through the balcony. I needed some air to cool myself off. The embarrassment from earlier was still fresh on my mind. Why did I even think that this was a trap? For gods sake, I could have snapped his arm right off.

"Great move there Percy. Why don't you dislocate his shoulder as well." I sighed. All the people here are great but there was this nagging feeling on the back of my neck. I couldn't help but feel that I'm overlooking something here.

I heard the slight movement of the doors opening but I didn't turn around. If they wanted to talk to me, they can talk to me out here. I'm tired of making a fool out of myself tonight.

"Hey Percy, guess who finally decided to show up! This is Annabeth Chase, my roommate."

"I said I was going to be late Thalia!"

I turned around and what I saw before me was indescribable. I opened my mouth to reply but I couldn't find the words to say anything back. I blinked a couple of times before my mouth finally caught up with my mind.

"Hi." I greeted. "Um I'm Percy Jackson. Thalia's cousin I suppose."

Way to go Percy. Way to be smooth.

"Hi, I'm Annabeth." She replied, almost if she was whispering her name to me in secret. She looked nothing like how I pictured it. With her blond curls and gray stormy eyes, she looked like a California girl from one those Abercrombie magazines. Her eyes were so mesmerizing that it captivated my attention for a few seconds. I've never seen anything like it before. They're so beautiful.

"Hello? Guys?" Thalia coughed, waving her hands in our face. It was then I realized that I was still holding on to her hand and I quickly pulled away, hoping that I didn't look like a fool in front of her.

I also noticed that she too had a blush on her face. The way her eyes avoided me for a second, it was cute.

"Anyway, I'll let you guys do whatever it is you single folks do but I have to make sure that Nico is still alive. Try not to throw this one over your shoulders Percy. I do like her you know."

Annabeth gave me a look that says 'What did I miss' and I shrugged. I turned around and ran my hand through my hair, a trait that I do whenever I'm nervous.

"So how is Nico?"

Annabeth giggled, "When I walked through the door, he was still leaning against the wall moaning about his shoulder."

"I guess I still need to apologize to him for that. I wasn't expecting a surprise party."

She rolled her eyes. "Just leave it to Thalia to do the unexpected. So you're that famous cousin that has those two all excited. Well, I can see why the both of them are so excited. No-no. That's not what - I didn't mean it like that." She stammered, her blush coming back stronger.

I laughed but now I'm curious. I didn't get a chance to talk to my cousins yet but maybe her roommate will be able to tell me. "Why are my cousins so excited to meet me? Before today, I've never even knew I had cousins to begin with."

Annabeth shook her head. "They didn't know either. Apparently their fathers kept it a secret for some reason but one day, your name slipped out from Nico's father and they searched high and low for you. I remembered even being pulled into the Great Percy Search of the century."

"But that doesn't explain how they found me. That's impossible unless..." I trailed off, my mind going through the list of several possibilities. "No, that's still impossible. I'm not listed in any known database and my name has been erased..." I muttered the last part to myself.

"What do you mean by impossible?" Annabeth asked, her brows furrowed. "Was your number unlisted or something?"

"No, it wasn't that. It's complicated." I said, my brain a million miles away. This day just keeps getting better and better. Whoever my 'cousins' are, they were able to obtain my personal information from people who either had deep pockets or done so illegally.

"Oh, like you were getting stalked by an ex-girlfriend or something right? I kind of wish I could do that but then it would be a hassle in passing out my new number to everyone." Annabeth said, throwing her hands up in the air. I laughed at her antics. It's weird that the longer I spend talking to this girl, the more I didn't want this night to end.

"Bad date?" I asked, changing the subject to her instead of myself. "I remember Juniper saying that it was horrible. Are you telling me that it really was that bad? I thought women usually exaggerate about their bad dates."

It's not that I'm changing the subject intentionally. I'm just not comfortable with people finding out about what I do because they always give me the same looks over and over again. It's that look that I hate.

The look of someone who can do no wrong. Comparing me to actual heroes.

"You have no idea. I finally decided to go out with this guy because it would get Thalia off my back about finding someone but he turned out to be a total tool. Do you know what the first thing he tried to do to me?"

"No, what? Did he try to kiss you?"

"Worse!" Annabeth exclaimed, "Even before he sat down to introduce himself, he used the most played out pickup line ever. 'Do I know you? Cause you look a lot like my next girlfriend.' I walked out on him after that."

I laughed. I couldn't help it but she was right. Whoever this guy was had no game. Anyone can clearly see that Annabeth wasn't your typical girl. There was an aura of wisdom around her.

"Oh it's funny huh? Well since I enchanted you with one of my stories, care to share one of yours?"

I shook my head. I haven't been on any real dates since I joined the Navy. Not after what happened with Rachel. No, stop it Percy. You can't go back there. It was a dark time. Step away from that area.

We go back and forth, darting between the topics of her life and mine. I found out that she's just an intern at McPacific and son, which was one of the largest architecture firms in the United States. When she wasn't working her normal 40 hour week, she was going to Columbia to finish up her masters which was very impressive.

I kind of wish I finished up and went to college but that was a story for another time. I told her that I was on vacation currently and my boss was too adamant about making me take my vacation days. When I brought that up, she understood and said she could see the passion in my eyes whenever I spoke about my work.

I merely told her I traveled around for my job. I wasn't lying. I did travel to many places around the world... for missions and training. I felt bad that I couldn't tell her what I did but until I could trust her, I wasn't ready to open up to any serious stories.

With what seemed like minutes turned into hours and I didn't realize that until Luke knocked on the window, beckoning for us to come back inside.

"Sorry for keeping you out here so long Annabeth. I didn't mean to take up all your time from your friends."

She shook her head. "It's okay Percy. I don't think they missed me all that much." Annabeth turned her head and looked through the window, seeing that most of her friends were still drinking the night away while laughing at Grover's crazy stories. "Besides, I enjoyed spending time with someone who didn't lower my IQ by just opening his mouth."

I chuckled. "Glad to be of some service ma'am." I did a mock bow like how all military personnel did it towards their date at the ball.

"You know, you never did tell me what you did for a living." She stated, with a coy smile on her face.

"No, I suppose I never did." I answer, amusement clearly shown in my voice.

We make our way back inside when Thalia grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Annabeth. It was kind of disappointing that I wasn't going to be spending any more time with her.

"So Percy, tell us about yourself. What are your hobbies and stuff?"

I rolled my eyes. "What's there for me to say really? My life isn't all that interesting." I put my arm over Thalia's shoulder and pulled her closer. "I think I rather hear about my cousins first."

Not sparing a glance at the murderous look that Luke was giving me. I pulled Nico in with my other arm. "How is that you guys are in New York and I've never met any of you."

"That's because my father is a bastard." Nico muttered and Thalia nodded.

"Zeus is the same way. All high and mighty in that CEO position of his. Alongside with my other uncle Poseidon, they currently run the biggest investment firm in the states. I actually never spent much time with Poseidon because he was always overseas but I heard from other people that he was very flaky and sometimes act like a child."

I saw that everyone there was nodding along with what these two said so I pressed on. "So Annabeth told me about some hunt that you guys had for me?"

Thalia glared at her roommate while Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that look Thalia. It was better than your idea about putting his name on a wanted poster with a ten thousand dollar reward. I just thought the name was ridiculous."

"Don't mock the name!" Nico half yelled, struggling to get out from under my left arm. I forgot that I was constantly applying pressure on him. Go figure. I guess it was the inner cousin instinct that I have.

"God Percy, what the hell do you do for a living? It's like trying to pry apart steel bars and yes, I'm comparing your arms to steel bars."

I shrugged. "I do odd jobs here and there."

"Liar!" Nico shouted and I tightened my hold against his neck. Stupid man. In this position, I could easily cut off the oxygen supply to his body and he would drop like a sack of potatoes but I didn't. Not in front of so many witnesses I told myself.

At this point, everyone redirected their eyes at the both of us and I let Thalia go. She also had a curious look on her face. "You know Percy, I found your number on the list of contacts that my dad keeps on his computer but it was buried under several heavy layers of encryption. Hell, I don't even know if what Annabeth did was legal. It must have been pretty damn important if it took her all night to crack it."

"You told me it was for your school project! That's the only reason why I decided to help. Oh gods Thalia. How much trouble am I going to get into now." Annabeth moaned. "If I lose my scholarship, I'm going to kill you."

"But you're my best friend and besides, my dad will probably blame me anyway."

I finally let Nico go when he was about to sink his teeth into my arm. So somehow Thalia's father had my name on his laptop but for what reason? It's obvious that his daughter didn't know so I may have to ask her father directly. I still didn't see how we're related but I guess that's something I'll take up with him as well.

"You don't do odd jobs do you Percy." Luke narrowed his eyes. "In fact, there's something about you that screams uniform to me. From the way that you act and the way your body is always positioned to take the quickest exit reminds me of those James Bond movies. Don't even bother lying because trust me, I know where all the exits are in case I need to make a fast getaway from this apartment."

Thalia let out a small cough while glaring at Luke to shut up. "Ignoring the last part of what my idiotic boyfriend is saying, are you a -"

"Spy!" Nico shouted, his eyes widened in surprise. I suppressed a chuckle and shook my head. Not a spy but he is on the right track.

"Fisherman?" Juniper said while Grover took a sip from his drink. "I'm going with offshore mechanic."

I shook my head to the both of them and they smiled. I really did like these two. Their laid-back attitude is maybe just what I need to survive this vacation. I make a mental note to look them up on a later date to hang out.

"Interpol. You work for Interpol." Luke took a stab with his guess. I rolled my eyes. Interpol? Those guys can't even find their heads if it were attached to their necks. People give them too much credit these days. If only they knew what really went on behind the scenes at Interpol.

I look at Annabeth who had a calculating look on her face. "You want to take a guess as well?" I asked.

"Don't underestimate her Percy." Thalia said, handing me a plate of food. "There's a reason why she's the smartest one out of all of us."

She shook her head. "I think I'll hold my judgment until I know more about you."

That was by far, the smartest thing anyone has said to me all night. I smiled and nodded my head. "Good answer."

There was some small conversations and by the time Grover and his girlfriend left, I noticed that it was getting late. I didn't even realize that it was getting close to 1 AM. Thalia offered me the couch and I shook my head. I'll take a walk back to my apartment. It's not that far from here.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Nico asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't have any plans besides hiding out in my apartment and keeping up with my workout routine. "Nothing much I guess. I don't have anywhere to be or anything to see anyway. If you've seen one skyscraper. You've seen them all." I replied, trying to hide the bitterness from my voice.

"Then why don't you have lunch with me and Thalia tomorrow. There's this great spot outside Annabeth's office and she could join us as well."

"Works for us." The girls replied as they started shoving everything in the garbage bags. Empty cups, plates of uneaten food. Anything that didn't belong in the apartment.

"Can't. I have to overlook some newbie tomorrow to make sure he doesn't screw up on the packages. I'll take a rain check." Luke replied as he kissed Thalia goodnight.

After agreeing to lunch with my cousins and one Annabeth Chase. I left the apartment in better spirits. My phone vibrated and I didn't recognize the number this time. I had both Thalia and Nico in my contacts just for future references. Such as when I get to a computer that allowed me access into CIA database.

I couldn't help but smile when I realize that it was from Annabeth. It also helped when she said it was her as well but she wanted to make sure that I had fun tonight and apologized for the third degree that Luke was giving me. I quickly responded that it didn't bother me and to be honest, this was the first time I had fun in years.

Maybe tonight, instead of the nightmares that plague my sleep, it would be dreams of a certain blond hair woman.

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Kind of long but it sets up the plot for future chapters. Let me know what you guys think. Again, I am looking for someone to help me BETA.


	2. You're What?

Thanks for the kind reviews. I will be updating this chapter on my spare time but I am still looking for someone who can BETA my chapters. Please PM me if you are interested.

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_0400 Hours  
New York City  
Percy's POV_

For the past few months, I've been plagued with nightmares. I would have preferred the term night terrors instead because of the vivid images. I can't remember when was the last time I had a good night's sleep. If word got out about my issue, I would be taken off the active duty roster faster than you can say seaweed brain. No one wants to see an armed force member go off the reserve. That doesn't help with our image.

Bad publicity is something that we strive to avoid. Not only for us SEALS but for all branches of the military. We are supposed to be the role models, not to be associated with negativity. We want to be up there with Santa Claus, not down there with comic book villains.

To help me deal with this, Chiron recommended that I go see a therapist which I did. Hera, my therapist, told me that my nightmares were most likely a direct result from my job and it's very common for soldiers like me.

Her recommendation? They should stop on their own. She didn't think I required any kind of prescription to deal with this. I thought she was blowing smoke but who am I to argue with someone who has no less than three degrees from Colombia, NYU and Columbia again.

I sometimes wonder just how smart she is.

I also tried to deal with these nightmares myself but it's hard. I'm used to dealing with monsters that I didn't think was real. Monsters that I remember from the nights I spent reading from a Greek mythology book. Monsters such as the ferocious Minotaur or the Furies or even a gigantic three headed dog who guards the underworld.

Nowadays, my fictional monsters were replaced with faces of people that I've seen on my missions overseas. Faces of my comrades, faces of people who I couldn't save and faces of people who I was sent to silence.

They all come back to me at night, each one of them taking corporal form and grabbing and pulling me backwards as I tried to walk forward. And it's not like it's the same dream every night. The faces might be the same but the location is always different. Sometimes it's in a local village out in the Middle East or in a pitch dark cave as different objects obscures my field of sight.

The nightmares don't last long enough because it usually gets to a point where I'm faced to faced with the barrel of a gun and I can hear the bullet leaving the chamber, making it's way out and that's when I wake up in cold sweat. My heart is racing and as I look around, my senses are going crazy and my right hand goes straight for the knife that I keep under my pillow.

I don't know why but there are times after I wake up that I feel like I'm being watched. Even in the darkness of my room, I can feel my heart pounding, waiting to explode.

This is alsoo why I'm always up at 4 AM. Doesn't matter if I'm on the ship or in my apartment, these nightmares still continue to haunt me.

_1200 Hours  
__Lunch at Casa Loca  
Annabeth's POV_

I was a nervous wreck the entire morning. I must have changed my outfit a billion times since I left my apartment. Was this skirt to plain? What if this blouse was showing too much cleavage? Should I have straightened my hair instead of having it in curls? Maybe I should have worn heels instead of these black flats.

Ugh, where was Piper when I needed her? Oh that's right; she was flown out to San Jose as a keynote speaker for the launch of her new clothing line.

I knew I shouldn't have spent my time in the office worried about those details but I couldn't help it. Can't a girl just look nice for her best friend slash roommate's cousin? The last time I checked, that's not a crime in New York but it could have also been due to the fact that I met someone who had the most beautiful sea green eyes that I've ever seen. It is almost like being at the ocean yourself.

Memories of last night's events came back once more and it caused me to blush. I'm not usually the type of girl who is constantly searching for her Prince Charming. I firmly believe that if I am meant to meet the man of my dreams, he will come sooner or later. If it is decided by the Fates, then it is meant to be.

My life would have continue as normal except for the fact that fate threw him into my path last night. Just when I wasn't expecting him.

I don't know how else to describe it but it felt like a scene from one of those romantic novels that Thalia keeps under her bed. Not that I read them...

Just don't tell her that I steal them from time to time when I need a good cry.

Percy and I connected almost instantly and I found myself thinking that even though it wasn't a date, it felt like one and I had the best time with him on the balcony but the most interesting part was that he refused to give out any details about himself.

I didn't like that. I'm the type of person who needs to know the answer to everything. I just can't stand not knowing.

I tried to find out more about him but he was more evasive than I was persuasive. Damn those green eyes of his. It also didn't help that he was very cute and easy on the eyes.

God, get a grip on yourself Annabeth. He is just one guy. There are probably hundreds of others like him.

_But there isn't. Men like Percy come around once a lifetime._

As soon as the clock struck noon, I left my desk and walked over to the the restaurant that we agreed upon. I may have left earlier than usual to have lunch but being an intern isn't all that's hyped up to be. We are barely given anything of importance to do and I feel more like a glorified secretary than I do an amateur architect.

Like last week, the most important thing that I've done was deliver a bunch of blueprints that my manager did to upper management. I took a sneak peak at it and I laughed. I could have done a better job on this project with my eyes closed but I didn't say anything. As an intern, we are the low man on the totem. Not spoken until spoken to.

Barbaric but I only have to put up with this job until the end of the summer when they do my employee review to see if I have what it takes to come on board full time.

"Annabeth?"

I turned my body in surprise to see Percy already there, sitting by a corner booth where I was originally going to sit.

"Percy?" I asked in return. I wanted to make sure that he was the same guy that I met and not some other Percy Jackson. That would have been mortifying.

He nodded his head and stood up, gesturing for me to take a seat first.

What a gentleman I thought. Nowadays, guys don't even bother to open the car door or even hold the door open. Before Percy, I was confident that chivalry was dead but clearly the art wasn't lost with him.

His mother must have raise him right.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting." I asked. He looked like he just got out of bed with that messy hair of his but I couldn't find anything wrong with it. It was just the perfect amount of messiness to make it look natural. Along with that thin blue sweater which fit him perfectly, I would have mistaken him for a model.

"No that's okay. It's just a habit of mine to get to places early. Better to be early than late you know."

I laughed. "You would make an awesome date then." I felt my cheeks light up the moment those words left my mouth but it wasn't that bad because it was also cute that he blushed as well.

"Well, in that case, you look great." Percy coughed and turned his head, probably to hid that blush of his. "So where are my cousins? I could eat a meal fit for two."

"Why don't we order first? I have to get back to work soon and I'm sure you have better things to do than just sit here with me."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here right now. It would actually be my pleasure to have lunch with you but I do agree that we should order first." Percy replied, his eyes glancing over the menu. "The burger sounds good to me. What about you?"

I agree and within moments, our orders were placed. I took a sip of water and found myself staring at those green eyes of his again. "So , I still don't have an idea of what you do for a living. Don't you know that it's impolite to keep a girl waiting?"

Percy laughed, "If I tell you, it wouldn't be fair to the others who guessed. Why don't you take a guess and I'll tell you if you're getting closer or not."

I pouted but agreed. After last night, I tried to piece together with what little information I had and tried to match it based on Percy's facial expression. It wasn't easy but I was able to confirm that he does have some kind of martial arts training and I saw the way that he carried himself.

Confident. Strong. Humble. Totally not like my last date.

I also noticed the way his eyes hardened whenever Nico or Luke mentioned something about the law. From what I can remember during those long hours that was spent researching this guy, which I have to thank Thalia for by the way, he wasn't a criminal. My gut feeling was telling me that he was in some branch of the military. It kind of makes sense but he didn't fit the typical military stereotype.

"Military?" I guessed. I saw that his eyes widened suddenly before it was replaced with something else. I couldn't place it but when he laughed, I found myself drawn to that instead.

"Is that your final answer Annabeth?" He leaned closer and I could smell the sea on him better. His breath was on my skin and I felt a tingling sensation. I nodded my head slowly and leaned closer, our lips almost touching. "Technically I -"

"God get a room you two." Nico gagged. "There are people trying to have lunch here."

I quickly pulled my head back and glared at the younger man. He was going to die tonight. I pulled my foot back and kicked, feeling satisfied when I saw Nico wince in pain. He wanted to open his mouth but my glare kept it closed.

"Where's Thalia?" I asked, feeling disappointed that the moment was ruined.

"Zeus called her in and that's why I'm here as well. Something's going on and we have an appointment with Zeus and Hades in a few minutes. Not sure why but we'll catch up with you guys later. Just wanted to pop in and tell you guys."

Nico waved as he left the restaurant. It was odd that they're seeing their fathers this late in the day. Usually they just speak to each other over the phone but never face to face.

Percy also had a calculated look in his eyes but when I blinked, it was gone. "So what were you saying before we were interrupted."

He looked away for a second and for the first time, I could see the man behind those eyes. I always found it strange that his eyes, as beautiful as they were, held more secrets than the average person. Almost like if he's seen things that would make me want to run away. It wasn't the look of a young adult but of someone who is much older.

"I'm sorry Annabeth but I afraid that I can't tell you."

"Why...?" I whispered. I reached forward and grabbed his hands but he flinched at the initial contact. That surprised me but I gently held on, rubbing his hand with my thumb. "I'm not afraid Percy... and besides, I probably can't make it out the door before you catch up to me anyway."

Percy chuckled and shook his head. "Truth is Annabeth, I'm a Navy SEAL so technically yes, I am part of the military branch."

My jaw dropped upon hearing his confession. A Navy SEAL? Weren't they just on the news several months ago for something that happened over seas? I stared at Percy with admiration.

"Oh wow Percy. That's very impressive." I replied, surprised by the news and then I smiled. "What is it like? Is it really as hard as they say? Only the best of the best right?"

He sighed and pulled his hands away. With the sudden lost of contact, I looked up and recognized the earlier feeling that I saw before. His eyes flicked between sadness and resentment. "Don't do this Annabeth."

He sounded like he was in pain and I frowned.

"Do what?" I asked, confusion on my face. Did I say something wrong?

"Don't look at me with those eyes!" Percy all but shouted. He clenched his fists up to the point where his knuckles were turning white.

I was left speechless at his outburst. "What the hell are you talking about?" I retorted in anger. "I was just being grateful for things that you do for our country! It's nothing to be ashamed about Percy! It's people like you who have the courage to do the things that most of us won't do. You should be proud of yourself!"

"I don't need those looks from you or anyone else! This is why I don't tell anyone what I do. Once they find out that I'm a SEAL, their outlook on me instantly changes and I could do no wrong. It's so bullshit that I hate it! You think that I do it because I love my country right? That I do it to protect my home?"

I was afraid to answer. His voice sounds so bitter and resentful that I was afraid to know the truth. What happened to you Percy that made you so cynical?

"Well you're wrong! Everyone assumes that just because I'm a SEAL, I automatically do it for my people, for my country, for my home but they can't be any further from the truth. I've never wanted any of this. What exactly is the point of me doing my job when it's not fair that I'm the only one who had to sacrifice everything just to get to where I am? Where is the justice in that?!"

He took a deep breath and shook his head. "I'm sorry Annabeth. It was wrong of me to lash out at you like that but I think I'll take my leave. Tell Thalia and Nico that their cousin suddenly had some abrupt business and had to leave sooner than expected. Maybe I'll look them up next time when I'm back."

Even when he was angry, he's still acting like a gentlemen but it wasn't his words that I was listening to. It was his actions. I could tell that he wasn't really angry at me. He was angry at himself for something.

"Percy, wait. I'm sorry."

I knew I was wrong. I didn't want to admit it but he was right. The moment that he told me he was a SEAL, I instantly regarded him as someone who belongs in a different group than myself and I can see why he hated it. He was tired of people looking at Percy, the heroic SEAL. He wanted people to see him for himself and I just went all fan girl on him.

I groaned and dropped my head to the table, making a loud thump sound as soon as it hit. "So stupid Annabeth. So so stupid." I muttered.

How did I not see it before? I should have known that from the start. I should have known that Percy was different from most guys. Without thinking, I reached out to grab his hand which surprised him.

"Let's start from the beginning okay? Pretend that we didn't get into this booth yet and we'll start from the moment when we entered the restaurant."

I looked up to see him staring down at me with those green eyes of his. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, something that I found to be cute. "I don't know..."

My heart started pounding faster as he hesitated longer. Why don't you just give me a heart attack Percy!

"I'm sorry Annabeth but I can't."

My eyes widened and I found myself at a loss. I was speechless. "...Why not?" I whispered.

Percy shook his head and gently took my hand. He put his finger on my lips and I felt like my cheeks are being lit on fire. If I had a mirror, I was pretty sure I was red as a tomato right now. For some reason, I don't think I mind if he kept that finger on my lips. It took all my willpower to not kiss it.

"I don't think I would be a good influence on you Annabeth. I'm not exactly the ideal person you want to be friends with. I'm abrupt and shy and I don't get along well with people. I spent the last ten minutes looking over at the door, watching people as they enter and leave the premises. That's not normal by any standard. I just don't know how to be friends with anyone..."

The last part Percy whispered hoping that I didn't hear him but I heard it as clear as day. I felt my heart tug when I heard that last part and I gave his hands a little squeeze. They were bigger than mine, only slightly but they were rough, probably from holding and gripping onto his firearm but I didn't mind it. In fact, I like the way it feels.

"You don't get to choose who I can be friends with Percy Jackson." I whispered back, smiling at him when I said it. "I'm stubborn and if you didn't catch on, very damn smart. You would do well to know that about me."

Somehow during our exchange, we weren't aware that our waitress dropped off our food and we would have stayed like that if it wasn't for the loud rumbling that came from Percy's stomach.

We shared a laugh before digging in but his words were etched into my mind, giving me hope that one day, we would be more than just friends but for now, I'll settle for one day at a time, to show him that there's more to life than just being a SEAL.

* * *

What do you guys think? Let me know in the form of reviews please. Also - BETA WANTED.


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